


All I Can Ever Tell You

by Polkaretto



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 17:11:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2317040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkaretto/pseuds/Polkaretto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neku's an author. Stuff happens. Mild swearing. JoshNeku with Shiki/Eri on the side! :3</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Can Ever Tell You

Neku spun in slow, lazy circles, thoughtfully tapping the tip of his pencil against the plastic arm of his chair. His current project was scattered across the desk in front of him, and the occasional breeze from an open window caused the various pages of writing to flutter gently. A mound of crumpled papers sat beside his chair, and with each languid turn, his feet would brush against it. Neku’s other hand pressed his signature purple cell phone against his ear, and Shiki Misaki’s voice could be heard from the receiver. 

“Eri, love, I’ve told you over and over again – it simply won’t work! I know it looks great on paper, your designs always do, but it’s just impossible! Now, Neku, what were you saying?” 

It had been over a decade since the Game, and the entire group had grown closer. However, Shiki and Eri had grown closest, slowly turning into something more. When the couple had announced they were dating, no one was really surprised. Well, except for Beat, but he was an oblivious idiot, so he didn’t count. Rhyme had just giggled and hugged them both while her brother freaked out and Neku attempted to calm him down. The couple had been living together ever since, creating their own fashion empire. 

“I needed a better way of describing a…kiss,” Neku mumbled. 

While Shiki and Eri had been off in their own little paradise, Neku had been sort of …stuck, at first. Joshua had never showed at Hachiko, and while Neku was happy with his new friends, he was still a bit lonely. Beat was busy with Rhyme and her new dreams. Shiki and Eri were always off doing something together. And his parents had never had much time for him in the first place. So Neku would often find himself alone, thinking of a certain cocky, probably gay, infuriating asshole, who, for some insane reason, he still trusted. Whoop-dee-doo. 

At first, when Neku thought about Joshua, he was always filled with rage. The guy had killed him, after all! Twice, even! But as the years passed, Neku’s anger drained away. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Joshua had helped him. Neku had learned how to trust again, and he would always be grateful for that. He couldn’t quite forgive Joshua, but he could trust him, and Neku ached for the one who was closest to fully understanding him. 

Neku finished high school with decent grades (Straight A’s in English, even!), and while he could have left, Neku attended Shibuya’s local university. He said it was because it had a great English program, but really, he simply couldn’t bear to leave Shibuya – couldn’t bear to leave behind the memories, the discoveries, or the stupid hope that one day, Joshua would appear at Hachiko, and they could start again. While he was at college, Neku spent many late nights studying and writing papers at WildKat, barely keeping his eyes open with Mr. Hanekoma’s overpriced coffee. Other times, when he didn’t have as much work, Neku would wander Shibuya’s streets, always keeping an eye out for Players or Noise, or pester the Producer about Josh (Is he okay? Why didn’t he ever come to Hachiko? Does he hate me? Are you even listening?), but Hanekoma would just seal his lips and Neku would leave, dejected and angry.

Eventually, Neku graduated. When he received his diploma, he was sure he caught a glimpse of violet eyes and that infuriating smirk alongside the faces of his friends. He ran out as soon as he could, brushing away words of congratulations and party invitations, searching for a certain Composer that captured his thoughts at least once a day. But all Neku found was a single, glistening feather right outside WildKat, and when he questioned Hanekoma, the only answer was a sad smile and the usual “Hey Phones, try this new blend I thought of today!”. Neku just stalked away. The man didn’t even congratulate him, dammit!

One day, after Neku’s new book about his experiences in the Game (It was labeled as fantasy, of course! No one would believe such things had actually happened.) had become a best seller, he made his way to Hachiko, expecting to see the friends he still met up with every Sunday. Instead, he found a certain Composer with a copy of his novel, and a greeting of “My, Neku, I had no idea I moved with such ‘grace and litheness’!”

Shocked, Neku just stood there, trapped in the gaze of those violet eyes. Joshua stared back, the novel still held delicately in his grasp. People brushed past him, cursing and shoving, but it hardly mattered. After all these years, Joshua was here. He was here. A flurry of emotions passed through him: astonishment, disbelief, hope, joy, fear, indignation, the ever-present sting of the betrayal from so long ago. Then Neku noticed that stupid smirk, and he settled on the familiar anger he’d thought he’d left behind. Fists clenched, Neku stormed forward, no one even batting an eye at the sickening crack that followed. Neku gawked, fists still clenched, at a delicate, suddenly smirkless face. Joshua held his now bleeding nose, eyes wide but calm, waiting, Neku’s novel forgotten at his feet. He’d been expecting this, Neku realized. In fact, he was expecting more, and he was just going to sit there and take it until Neku was finished and walked away forever. Joshua was certain Neku despised him, but he’d still shown up. It had taken a long time, but he’d still come. He was here. And Neku forgave him – truly forgave him, for everything.

“You idiot,” Neku whispered, silent tears rolling down his cheeks, and threw his arms around his partner, the Composer, his murderer, and the one he loved most. Joshua flinched, clearly not expecting such a reaction, but slowly his arms wrapped around Neku as well, holding him close. They were both trembling. 

“You fucking idiot!” Neku buried his face in Joshua’s neck. “You should have come sooner. I still would have punched you, but you should have come sooner!” Neku looked up into violet eyes. 

“I’m…sorry, Neku. I’ve been watching. I was going to come sooner, but I…I couldn’t do it…” For a while, they just stayed like that, together, alone in the world. Then Neku whispered, “I forgive you, you know. And I still trust you. I’ve always trusted you. Just don’t leave me again. Or next time, I will shoot you.” 

Joshua chuckled weakly. “You don’t mean that.” Neku glared. “Oh, I do mean that, I assure you.” He paused. “Promise me, Josh. Promise you won’t leave.” 

“…I promise.”

Neku hugged him harder.

~

Shiki giggled, and Neku jumped, slowly returning to the present, flushing. “Hmm…tell me what you’re writing about, maybe then I can come up with something better. There are all kinds of kisses, y’know!” 

“Err…my publisher wanted me to try some different writing styles with a few prompts he gave me before I start my next novel. I finished the others, but now I have to do one that describes my, um…first kiss…” Neku blushed even more. Shiki paused for a moment, then chuckled.

“Oh, Neku, I’m not really sure I’m the one you should be asking for advice on this one,” Another giggle, and Neku scowled. 

“Shiki…I’m not asking Joshua.” He paused, then ducked his head. “It’s far too embarrassing.”

“What’s too embarrassing to ask me about, Neku dear?” A husky voice suddenly whispered into his ear, Neku’s name rolling of the voice’s tongue. Neku nearly fell out of his chair, squeaking in surprise, the phone falling from his hand with a slightly alarmed “Neku?”. Neku stared up at Joshua’s familiar (and just as infuriating) smirk.

“Jesus Christ, Josh! Don’t do that!”

The smirk grew even more playful than usual. “It’s not my fault you get jumpy when you write! Though by the looks of things, you’ve been doing more crumpling than actual writing.” Joshua sauntered towards the pile of discarded papers, picking one up and unfolding it.”Hmm…” His eyes flitted over each messy word with lightning speed, practically glowing with mischief. Neku groaned and hid his face behind his hands, face flushed. 

“How many times have I told you not to read the crumpled ones? They’re like that for a reason!” Joshua ignored his partner’s protests, grinning.

“You’re writing about our first kiss, eh? I must say, this is quite interesting…though you went a bit overboard with the adjectives in this one…” Neku sighed. There was no way he was getting out of this alive. Soft lips suddenly kissed a sensitive spot behind Neku’s ear, and he gasped in surprise. “I kind of like it though…I was unaware you thought I have such ‘touchably soft, tantalizing lips’…”

Neku growled. “You weren’t supposed to know.” Joshua giggled against his skin, kissing from his ear to his jaw to his neck, sending a shiver down Neku’s spine. 

“I shall have to read the rest of these later, but for now, there’s something else I’d like to do, my dear, dear partner,” Joshua whispered, running delicate fingers down Neku’s chest, lower and lower and lower…

~

Across Shibuya, in a room full of fabric and paper and sewing supplies, two blushing girls sat together, trying to ignore the rather loud, erotic moans emanating from a pale pink cell phone.


End file.
